As this year comes to an end, we would like to pause and celebrate the seeds of kindness that were sown over the past 12 months. Wear the Cape is incredibly proud of the work its team has done to help spread goodwill throughout our communities, and hope you feel inspired to continue doingthe same.
This past year, Wear the Cape brought its assembly program to over 2,000 children! We’ve now reached over 50 elementary schools, recreation departments and clubs throughout the country. The Hero Strategies that we teachare being used to build positive relationships between students, teachers, parents, and coaches. We could not be prouder and more humbled by the impact this program has had on participants – students and teachers alike.
In fact, due to the heartening feedback we’ve received, Wear the Cape is pressing on with the creation of a middle school program, which will further extend our mission of teaching kids that IT’S COOL TO BE KIND by being BETTER THAN THAT™.
Helping others is what we do best at Wear the Cape, and this year we decided to expand our efforts through the creation of THE LUNCHBOX MOVEMENT. The Erricochildren, who act as Cape Kid ambassadors, created a program to help feed underprivileged children during the summer months, when they do not have access to school lunches.
Thanks to their hard work and outreach, they received donations from local businesses, such as Burger King, Costco, Stop and Shop, Acme, and ShopRite, as well as a donation of reusable lunchboxes from kidkind foundation. These lunchboxes were filled with nourishing food, as well as handwritten notes of encouragement, and delivered by the Errico children and other Cape Kid ambassadors to Team Walker Summer Camp in Jersey City.
Cape Kids even gave an interactive presentation on nutrition and etiquette to the campers before they enjoyed their meal. It was a joy-filled day for all, one that Wear the Cape hopes to relive again next year. Please email leighann@wearthecapekids.com if you know of a camp or organization that is in need of summer lunches.
This year, during National Volunteer Month, Wear the Cape’s Cape Kid ambassadors also lent a hand at Bounce Factory in Warren, New Jersey, during their Gentle Bounce session. Beautiful friendships were formed, as Cape Kidsassisted children with special needs in their jump session. We’re excited that Wear the Cape will be offering children more volunteer experiences throughout the new year to continue teaching the importance of giving back to others!
Additionally, Wear the Cape had several firsts this past year. For one, our organization was invited to present a lesson on kindness and heroism, as part of Take Your Child to Work Day at Willis Towers Watson in Short Hills, New Jersey. We were thrilled to be a part of this very special day, while spreading the word that it’s COOL TO BE KIND.
Additionally, we received countless calls and emails this past year from people throughout the country sharing how they learned of Wear the Cape and how the organization’s educational resources have helped them and their children(feedback is one of our greatest rewards).
One of the most surprising calls came from the NJ Devils hockey team. They heard about the work Wear the Cape isdoing to spread kindness and the positive impact our assembly is having in many communities. They were so impressed with our program that they invited Wear the Cape to present at a NJ Devils game next year. Wow!
We thank YOU for helping to spread kindness in your community and beyond, through support of Wear the Cape and your independent endeavors. If you would like to gift an assembly or IT’S GOOD TO BE KIND books to an underprivileged school, donate to THE LUNCHBOX MOVEMENT, or purchase our merchandise, which donates 10% of profits to kidkind foundation, please visit https://cape.myshopify.com/products/donate-to-wear-the-cape-kids. All donations to the kidkind foundation, a registered 501 (c)(3) charity, are tax-deductible.
Wishing you many blessings throughout the new year!
In kindness,
Leigh Ann Errico